Hiding the Scars
by butterflyxblade
Summary: Rukia goes off and fights Hollow without Ichigo and gets hurt...badly. Rukia, trying to hide her weakness, avoids Ichigo to hide her injuries. But when Ichigo finds out, what will happen? And why's Uryu freaking out? IchiRuki


"Ahh!! Who the hell does Ishida think he is?" Ichigo yelled angrily as him and Rukia walked down the road on a warm, sunny day in late May. Ishida went on vacation with some friends from the sewing club and asked Ichigo and Rukia to do some things for him while he was gone.

"I mean come on!! Water the plants, feed his dog, _do the laundry_, who does he think we are?!" Ichigo yelled again as they walked past the park.

Rukia noticed that Ichigo did not seem himself today. He was quiet in school and his skin looked sickly pale.

"Ichigo, are you alright?" Rukia asked, concern lacing her voice.

Ichigo looked over to her. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired, I guess."

They walked on as Rukia noticed that Ichigo was beginning to hunch over, holding his stomach. They continued to go in silence when Ichigo suddenly yelped and began to sprint down the road. Rukia called after him as she chased him down the street. He ran into the vacant Kurosaki house and sprinted up the stairs where he began to empty the contents of his stomach in the up stairs bathroom's toilet.

"Oh God…Ichigo…what's….what's happening?" Rukia asked as she ran up the steps, out of breath from chasing him.

Ichigo tried to look up. "It's…alright…just a stomach…virus," he tried to say in between barfs.

Rukia was still worried. "I have to get you _something_," she insisted as she ran down stairs. "Of course, Ichigo gets sick when the doctor's out," Rukia mumbled, recalling his father's absence because of a meeting.

She looked and looked through the medicine cabinet but did not know what to get him. After another 5 minutes of looking, she only returned to her needy friend with a glass of water and a small piece of chocolate Chappy candy. _It always helps me when I don't feel well._

Rukia returned to see her friend hanging over the bath tub, out of breath. When he heard the door open, Ichigo looked over to see his friend, her eyes still filled with worry.

"Don't worry, Rukia…I'm…I'm fine," Ichigo insisted, drinking the water and throwing the Chappy candy in the garbage. Rukia was going to hit him for that later.

Suddenly, Rukia's phone rang. Ichigo began to get up.

"A Hollow?!" Ichigo yelled, crawling over to his badge which was laying on the bathroom sink. Rukia kicked him in the face, making him roll towards the bathtub.

"No idiot, I just have a call. One moment," Rukia said as she left a dumbfounded Ichigo in the bathroom.

Ichigo was right; it was a Hollow, a high level Hollow that was wreaking havoc in the park. _He's not in the condition to fight now…_Rukia thought as she walked back to the bathroom.

"I got a call from Inoue; she needs me at her house. Would you mind if I go?" she asked Ichigo, who was once again over to toilet doing his thing.

"Sure," he managed to get out.

"Thanks," Rukia said, sneaking his badge into her skirt pocket, "Don't wait up for me; I probably won't be long anyway."

And with that she jumped out the window, leaped out of her body, and was heading to the park in a flash.

When she arrived at the scene, there were not one but about 30 Hollows rampaging around and eating defenseless souls. Amazed at the amount of Hollow, Rukia hid behind a bush, preparing her battle plan. She knew she couldn't mess up because Ichigo would not be there to save her. With her scheme in mind, Rukia charged out onto the battle field with her new found confidence and Kuchiki pride.

* * *

Rukia returned to the Kurosaki house late at night. She climbed through the open window, happy to see Ichigo sleeping peacefully in his bed. She walked over to his desk and read a note that was addressed to her. 

_Go straight to bed…_

_I don't know why you were out so late but I'll beat you up for it later_

_Just got to sleep_

_Ps. I'm fine so chill_

Rukia smiled and limped over to her bed. With all her remaining strength, she pulled her limb, bloody body into the closet. She had won the battle, only to pay a horrible price. She had many deep slashes all over her small, fragile body. Her pale face was bruised and blood soaked her black robes. These simple injuries she could handle…but something inside her didn't feel right. It was as if her organs had been moved around in her body, leaving a painful, indescribable feeling in her chest.

She began to heal herself with Kidou, only having enough energy to heal very little of her body. _Damn…so weak…_she thought as she went to bed, another plan forming in her mind.

* * *

Ichigo woke up, feeling renewed and relieved. _I guess it was only a 24 hour thing…_he told himself as he got ready for school. He walked over to Rukia's closet and knocked on the door. When no one answered, he opened it to see a note with his name one it. 

_Sorry…I forgot something at Inoue's and had to go get it._

_I hope you are feeling better _

_I'll see you at school._

_P.s I left you a present_

Ichigo turned the note over to see a piece of Chappy candy taped to the back. He immediately threw it in the garbage. "I'll ask her what's up at school."

**An hour earlier at Orihime's**

"I hope she's awake…" Rukia said as she knocked on the door. Suddenly, a usual spunky Orihime opened the door.

"Oh, good morning, Kuchiki-san! Oh! What happened?" Orihime asked as she looked at Rukia, her body covered in bloody wounds.

"Yeah…I was hoping you would help me with that, Inoue," Rukia smiled as she walked in to Orihime's apartment.

She told Orihime what happened last night about the Hollows while Orihime healed her.

"…and I don't want Ichigo to know because he'll kill me if he sees me _this _injured," Rukia finished. Orihime listened to the whole story intently, grasping every detail. Suddenly, an unusual frown made its way onto her flustered cheeks.

"I'm sorry, but that is all I can do, Kuchiki-san," Orihime said, wiping sweat from her forehead.

They both inspected her body to see only half her wounds healed. Rukia looked up at Orihime. "It's alright. Thanks for your help, Inoue. I'll just patch myself up and we'll go to school," Rukia declared as she pulled out the bandage wrap. Orihime started to help her.

"I have an idea!"

**Present time at school**

Ichigo looked out the classroom's window as his classmates started to slowly file in. _Where the hell is Rukia?_

"Oh, Rukia-san! What happened?!" Keigo yelled. Ichigo's head shot up from the desk as he ran over to Keigo's annoying, high pitched voice.

He saw Rukia, her right leg and left arm were covered in bandage. He could see that her shoulder wrapped through her shirt. She also had bandage around her forehead and bruises all over her smooth, pale skin.

"Kuchiki-san and I were studying and we went to get something to eat and I accidentally pushed Rukia and she fell down the stairs, funny story isn't it!!" Orihime rambled quickly. She was never good at lying.

"Are you alright, Ru-" Keigo started to say before he was interrupted.

Suddenly Rukia was out of the crowd, Ichigo dragging her by the arm to his desk. Rukia broke his grip.

"Ow! Are you trying to hurt me?" Rukia yelled, her good girl attitude vanishing.

"What the hell happened?" Ichigo yelled loudly, the rage in his voice shaking the room.

"Exactly what she said! I fell down the stairs" Rukia said, turning away from him.

Ichigo grabbed her arm and swung her to face him. Anger and the slightest bit of worry was all she could see in his deep brown eyes.

"Tell me what really happened? Like Rukia Kuchiki would get that hurt by falling down the stairs!" he yelled again as the bell rang.

"That's what happened so shut up!! Class is starting!"

* * *

All day long Ichigo couldn't take his eyes off Rukia. _If she fell down the stairs she would have just gracefully landed on her feet. That idiot thinks she can fool me. Something is definitely wrong. And like hell I'm going to find out._

Just then the last bell of the day rang and everyone started to leave the classroom. "I'll meet you outside," Rukia smiled, a _fake_ smile, as she left the room.

Ichigo met her outside, as they planned, and they began to walk home, the sun beginning to set over the river. As they walked, Ichigo noticed Rukia was holding her side, trying to catch her breath. Her skin turned a sickly, no, _deathly_ shade of white. Ichigo couldn't take it.

"What really happened to you, Rukia?" Ichigo said calmly, trying a different approach. Rukia looked away.

"It's nothing for you to worry about," she said as she continued walking, going right passed him.

Ichigo turned to her again. "Apparently, it _is _my business if whatever happened left you looking like you got run over by a truck, so spit it out, or I'll beat it out of you!" Ichigo said with a little more force. _Screw the nice different approach! Whatever works works!_

Rukia faced him, the rays of the setting sun making her pale face glow. She walked up to him. "Well, while you were sick…um…"

Suddenly, Rukia began to go into coughing hysterics, sprays of crimson blood coming from her mouth and slowly dripping down her arm. Ichigo ran to her.

"Rukia, what's wrong? What's happening?!" Ichigo yelled, rubbing the back of the suffering shinigami in front of him.

Rukia weakly looked up and smiled. "Guess I'm weaker than I thought after all…" she muttered as she lost consciousness, falling to the ground.

Ichigo leaned over and caught her before she hit the ground, Rukia still spitting up blood.

"Rukia!!" Ichigo yelled as he picked her up and began to run.

_What the __hell__just happened? Rukia…RUKIA!! _Ichigo screamed in his mind as he sprinted to the house, covered in Rukia's blood.

* * *

When they arrived to the house, Ichigo put Rukia on his bed. He had no idea what to do with her. With no idea what to do with his friend, Ichigo cleaned her up sat by her bedside as she slept. He noticed while she slept, her skin turned a healthier color and her small face became more peaceful. 

When she woke up, no one said a word until Rukia finished healing herself. _Internal bleeding, why didn't I know?? I'm such an idiot._

Then the fight began.

"What the hell just happened, damn it?! Actually, let me rephrase that….What the hell happened to _you_?!" Ichigo screamed, throwing his hands up in the air.

Rukia sighed and began to tell him what happened when he was sick with the large amount of Hollow. She could tell her was angry by the way he gripped the chair he was sitting in and how he jumped up and began to angrily pace around the room.

"Why didn't you get me?" Ichigo yelled, sitting back in his chair.

"You were sick; you were in no condition to fight?" Rukia said calmly, sitting up in bed.

Ichigo jumped out of his chair. "And you were? You just got your powers back!" Ichigo exclaimed, turning his back to Rukia.

Rukia was angry. "What's that suppose to mean? It's not like I can forget how to use my powers! Are you trying to say that I, Kuchiki Rukia, am a weakling?!" She yelled, started to get up from bed. Ichigo shot around and pushed her back, keeping her inside its covers.

"No, I'm not saying that. I'm saying I don't want _this _to happen to you again. Next time, just swallow that damn Kuchiki pride and call me to help you, idiot!" he said, sitting back in his chair again. _Why is she always so damn stubborn?_

Rukia's face flushed the smallest bit as she turned away from Ichigo. "Fine." But then Ichigo noticed a serious expression make its appearance on her once embarrassed face.

"What I'm wondering is, why so many Hollow were at the park. I mean, 4 or 5 are expectable, but 30?!"

Ichigo sighed, _She's always concerned about the Hollow. _"We'll worry about it tomorrow, let's just go to bed," he looked at her, glanced at the closet, and looked at her again. "Scoot over."

* * *

The next day started like any other day. They woke up, which was a little awkward for them since they were in the same bed, got dressed and went to school. Once they arrived, Orihime ran up to Rukia. 

"It looks like you fully recovered from your fall, Kuchiki-san," she said with a smile, finishing with an extremely noticeable wink.

Rukia sighed, "It's over, Inoue. Ichigo knows."

Orihime looked up at Ichigo who was wearing a bigger scowl than usual.

"Oh, um, I'll see you later then," a frightened Orihime said as she left the awkward situation.

Suddenly, someone could be heard running through the hallway. The person ran into the room. That person was an out of breath Ishida Uryu.

"Is everyone okay?" he huffed as he ran in. The class just stared at him "Um…Yeah."

Uryu leaned over and caught his breath. "Could I talk to Kurosaki and Kuchiki-san for a moment?"

"Uh….okay." Ichigo and Rukia followed Uryu out of the room, leaving their bewildered classmates alone. Uryu started to explode.

"Are you stupid? What have you done? Have the Hollows come yet?" he yelled, Ichigo and Rukia oblivious and clueless. Clueless until it clicked in Rukia's mind.

"They were about 30 Hollow that attacked the park 2 days ago. Why to you ask, Ishida?"

Uryu almost screamed, "Kurosaki put the wrong pile of clothes into the washer!!"

"Hey, be happy I helped you!! What are you saying?" Ichigo retaliated.

"Do you remember seeing a blue and brown pair of pants in the pile?"

"Yes, I remember commenting on how ugly they were."

Uryu glared at him. "That 'ugly' pair of pants had Hollow bait in the pocket which you activated by putting them in the _washer!!_" he screamed, putting emphasis on the last word.

Rukia stared at Ichigo. "So it's _your _fault!"

Rukia and Uryu started to get closer to Ichigo, fire raging in their eyes.

"Hey guys…no need to be…angry," he gulped as the two were preparing to beat him up. _That is the __last __time I try to help someone. _But when the bell rang, they all ran into the classroom so they wouldn't be late.

During lunch period, Ichigo hid from Rukia and Uryu. He ate under a tree on the ground, which was an unusual spot for him. But unfortunately, that was Rukia's favorite spot. She saw him under the tree and walked over.

"Hey, I _will_ fight back if you start to hurt me," Ichigo said in his own defense, taking a bite of his onigiri.

"Relax, I won't do anything," she said, sitting down next to him.

Ichigo blushed slightly and looked away. "Um, I'm sorry…about the Hollow. I guess it's my fault that you got hurt."

Rukia looked down and smoothed out her skirt. "No, it isn't. But don't worry about it. It felt good…good to fight again, since I haven't done it in a long time. I…I felt powerful again," she said, clenching her fist in front of her.

Ichigo smiled and Rukia smiled back as they ate their lunch under the tree.

"I FOUND YOU, KUROSAKI!"

And the chase…continues.

* * *

**This oneshot is for my friend, hisanachan, who has given me so much advice and support throughout my writings...thanks!**

**I am happy how this turned out. I kinda see it as a turning point for me, because I think I am getting more mature with my writings...but that's just me.**

**IchiRuki forever!!**

**Tell me what you think!**


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